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When I meet Alexandra Pope for the first time, I felt in love with her energy, her self-assured posture and her ideas about menstruation. Every single word that came out of her mouth was pure wisdom. She’s one of those women who you could listen for hours and hours.

I meet Alexandra during the first screening of The Moon inside You back in 2009; she appears in the documentary as one of the featured experts along celebrities in the menstrual world such as Penelope Shuttle and the social anthropologist Chris Knight.

Alexandra was born in England and lived in Australia for 25 years; it’s only been three to four years since she decided to go back to England. The decision wasn’t easy but there was a wonderful opportunity ahead.

She now runs The Women’s Quest program, a project that would had not been possible without the encouragement and unconditional love of another beautiful mamma Goddess, who I meet dancing the five rhythms, Sjanie Hugo.

The Women’s Quest is a project dedicated to women’s self-empowerment by acknowledging the menstrual cycle as the most important tool in womanhood. So far, Alexandra has taken The Women’s Quest to Italy and Spain and travels around England along Sjanie teaching menstrual awareness.

The need of this type of work all over the world is so great that The Women’s Quest has become a very successful program. So great that in fact last year Alexandra decided to run an apprenticeship study program, the first of its kind, which will focus on deepening our knowledge on the cycle. Theapprenticeship program is dedicated to women who are keen to transmit this work back to their communities, just like in another time it would've been done from mother to daughter.

Alexandra’s idea about menstruation is that one day girls and women of all ages will think it's super cool to have a cycle! But before that happens, we all have a lot of work to do.

It has taken Alexandra 30 years to put together The Women’s Quest apprenticeship program in its actual form, all of her menstrual life, as she well says, but I am sure it has all been worth it!

It is beacause of this that Alexandra has earned the title of wise woman and I feel blessed and deeply honored to be able to take part on her first apprenticeship program. She is a beautiful wombman, a great speaker, a natural leader, a wise mentor, a kind spirit.

Red Moon is probably one of the most well know books on menstruation. It was written by Miranda Gray, an English teacher, writer, illustrator, Reiki master and healer.

I believe books come to you whenever we need them so Red Moon came to me a long time ago, I was looking to know more about the cycle and I found Miranda Gray, since that moment I have always wanted to meet her, she seemed my kind of woman!

I have helped Miranda in the past with translations of her work into Spanish, work that is available for Spanish speakers on her website but I wanted to do more than that and so after years of exchanging emails and talking about doing something together we have finally decided it was the time!

I invite you to come to this wonderful two day workshop inspired on Miranda’s book RED MOON.

The workshop is open to all women of all ages, who are already into their cycles, women new to this work, mothers with daughters coming of age; grandmothers wanting to pass this beautiful knowledge to their family, ANY WOMAN is welcomed!

She began to nurse dark fears about the future. She would never bleed, never marry Jacob, never bear sons. Suddenly, the small, high breasts of which she had been so proud seemed puny to her. Perhaps she was a freak, a hermaphrodite like the gross idol in her father’s tent, the one with a tree stalk between its legs and teats like a cow. So Rachel tried to rush her season. Before the next new moon, she baked cakes of offering to the Queen of Heaven, something she had never done before, and slept a whole night with her belly pressed up against the base of the asherah.

But the moon waned and grew round again, while Rachel’s thighs remained dry. She walked into the village by herself to ask the midwife, Inna, for help and was given an infusion of ugly nettles that grew in a nearby wadi. But again the new moon came and again Rachel remained a child.

As the following moon waned, Rachel crushed bitter berries and called her older sisters to see the stain on her blanket. But the juice was purple, and Leah and Zilpah laughed at the seeds on her thighs. The next month, Rachel hid in her tent, and did not even slip away once to find Jacob.

Finally, in the ninth month after Jacob’s arrival, Rachel bled her first blood, and cried with relief. Adah, Leah, and Zilpah sang the piercing, throaty song that announces births, deaths, and women’s ripening. As the sun set on the new moon when all the women commenced bleeding, they rubbed henna on Rachel’s fingernails and on the soles of her feet.Her eyelids were painted yellow, and they slid every bangle, gem, and jewel that could be found onto her fingers, toes, ankles, and wrists. They covered her head with the finest embroidery and led her into the red tent.

They sang songs for the goddesses; for Innana and the Lady Asherah of the Sea. They spoke of Elath, the mother of the seventy gods, including Anath in that number, Anath the

nursemaid, defender of mothers. They sang:

“Whose fairness is like Anath’s fairness?

Whose beauty like Astarte’s beauty?

“Astarte is now in your womb,

You bear the power of Elath.”

The women sang all the welcoming songs to her while Rachel ate date honey and fine wheat-flour cake, made in the threecornered shape of woman’s sex. She drank as much sweet wine as she could hold. Adah rubbed Rachel’s arms and legs, back and abdomen with aromatic oils until she was nearly asleep. By the time they carried her out into the field where she married the

earth, Rachel was stupid with pleasure and wine. She did not remember how her legs came to be caked with earth and crusted with blood and smiled in her sleep.

She was full of joy and anticipation, lazing in the tent for the three days, collecting the precious fluid in a bronze bowl—for the first-moon blood of a virgin was a powerful libation for the garden. During those hours, she was more relaxed and generous than anyone could remember her.

As soon as the women rose from their monthly rites, Rachel demanded that the wedding date be set. None of her footstamping could move Adah to change the custom of waiting seven months from first blood. So it was arranged, and although Jacob had already worked a year for Laban, the contract was sealed and the next seven months were Laban’s too.

Lara Owen & Miranda Gray talk about menstrual creativity on their books, but what exactly is menstrual creativity?

“The disperse conscious state that comes with menstruation makes it a time to let go what Don Juan from Castaneda calls nagual and the Australian aborigines call time to dreamwhich is our own unknown where there is knowledge and wisdom” Lara Owen.

Why not write in our diary all the messages we receive, a letter to yourself where you welcome yourself to this new phase. It could also be a letter from your adult self to your inner child where you welcome yourself to your first menstruation; you could even write something you would’ve liked someone had told you. This letter could be helpful later in your cycle (days 20 - 28) where it is very likely you will need words of encouragement and affirmation.

Why not expressing yourself through painting, and if possible with your own blood. You can use fabric, paper, etc. You can make your own ritual with your blood, offering it to Mother Earth or to the Moon. You could even decorate your body with it and dance in your room adding candles, incence and really connecting with it, touching it, feeling it, letting those feelings of embarrassment or of “being dirty” disapear.

Miranda Gray in her book Red Moon also suggests creating our own Moon Dial. In your menstrual phase you would have gone through most of your cycle, so it will be easier to gather all the information of previous days and see your cyclical nature in paper and learn more about yourself.

All these exercises are very personal and also very powerful; they will help you shift any negative emotions you have about you moon blood. They are beautiful exercises of self-healing so why not try them, you have nothing to lose, on the contrary, there is so much to gain!

I share here some photos of my own menstrual creativity made with my moon blood. I hope you enjoy them!

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, how do the phases of our cycle affect how we are likely to feel on the day?

Imagine that you are in a nice little restaurant with the partner of your choice. There are roses on the table, a candle and a plate of your favourite food has arrived beautifully presented. Your partner looks at you with a loving gaze ….

Pre-ovulation phase (Maiden / Dynamic / Action phase)

Where you are in your phase will depend on how you respond. Early in the phase you may feel a little more gentle and receptive, possibly still tired and low in physical energy from your menstrual phase. But later in the phase you may well be more assertive, analytical, judgemental and full of ‘go getting’ energy. Rather than participating in a romantic conversation, you can find yourself talking through all your current plans, ideas and problems to solve. You may even feel that you don’t really want to be there, even though it is a gift for you, as you are not emotionally engaged. The idea that you may have sex sounds great, but you don’t get turned on by deep emotional stuff.

Solution? If you know in advance you are going to be in this phase, suggest doing something active and outgoing together rather than a romantic, intimate meal for two. Don’t be surprised if you end up having fun and playful sex!

Ovulation phase (Mother / Nurturing / Heart phase)

Your partner has it exactly right this year! You feel loved and validated. You want to look into their eyes, to hold hands across the table, to talk about your feelings and your dreams together. Sadly, if your partner thinks the meal and flowers are enough, they are very wrong! You may well want the box of chocolates, the present, the card, and words of love spoken directly from the heart as well! For a partner who finds it difficult to express their feelings, you may be expecting too much from them in this phase. Also for a partner who is new, you may also be expecting more commitment from them than they are able to give. Either way the meal could end in disaster!

Solution?Enjoy the evening and the attention. Accept everything in the spirit it is given; if there is deep commitment there then that’s great, if not simply accept that commitment takes time to build and what you have now is wonderful. Oh, and be aware that you may be likely to go over the top - you may well be the one arriving with presents, balloons, a card and chocolates for your partner. Try not to embarrass them!

Okay this can be the most difficult phase but it can turn out to be the best! Depending on where you are in your phase will depend on how much energy you will have. If you are early in your phase, then going out is great. Forget the romantic meal, do something which is slightly sexy – go somewhere that you can dress up very sexy and have fun flirting with your partner, or go to a film, show or gallery exhibition which is sexy. This night is not about romantic feelings, but about great sex! Later in the phase however you may feel so tired that you are grumpy at just the thought of having to dress up smart to go out for a meal. In this case, suggest staying at home, perhaps curl up on the sofa with your partner and a DVD, and a large box of chocolates. Warn your partner that the card and presents are important, they help you feel loved and nurtured at a time when life in general seems to be threatening you all the time. Comfort sex is good, and may well wake you up for further fun!

Solution?Give your partner the chance of getting things right by yousuggesting the activity for the night – something sexy and outgoing or something comforting and homely. Suggest the present as well – sexy underwear to try out on the day, or a big box of chocolates, a teddy bear and a mushy card.

Menstrual phase (Soul / Reflective / Hag phase)

This phase is about rest and reflection. A meal out is great as long as the journey isn’t too far and you are not expected to dress up like a ‘sex kitten’. Your natural pace is slow in this phase, so expectations of going out clubbing after the meal can become an issue. Your sexuality can be slow too; sex in this phase can be wonderful but you may simply feel disinterested. A massage that sends you to sleep sounds far better! This is not the night to make plans for your future together, but it is the night to listen to your partner talk and to see the feelings behind the words. It is the night to listen to your heart as to whether this is the one you should be with.

Solution? A gentle meal out for two, not far from home and not too dressy or formal. Your partner may be worried at how quiet you are, so reassure them that all is well and that you are enjoying yourself and the meal. Enjoy the sentiment behind the meal and feel special.

For more ideas and a daily plan for living in-tune with your menstrual cycle to create well-being, happiness, success and fulfilment, throughout the month, buy:

Temple of the Moon Goddess is probably one of my favorite CD's! It has 9 different songs, all beautiful and all related to a Goddess. Each song can also be related to our own individual phases of our cycle, so the energy that the song brings us is the energy that we can feel in a particular phase and can also relate to the particular energy of the Goddess.

I will post the videos I have made here and let you know which phase of the cycle this relates to, although these may be different for you.

Lilith, is the sensual Goddess, Lilith is the unconscious in each woman. Lilith to me represents our sexuality, sensuality, a deep connection to the self, intuitive knowledge. She can also be seen as the virgin goddess meaning she can holds her own energies.

Lilith can be felt during menstruation once we can get rid of those feelings of darkness and we arrive to love, knowledge and self-power. It can also be felt during ovulation when we are deeply connected with our sensual selves.

The story I'm about to share with you, is a beautiful story written by Amrita Hobbs, an English teacher who lives in Australia and dedicates her time working with girls in rites of passage.

In this story Amrita tells us about Alicia, a girl who is about to experience her menarche, a key change in every woman.

Here, she describes an ideal world, something that Amrita wishes for every girl. The story is full of new possibilities and ideals, it plants new seeds in our subconscious and makes us realize that if every woman could grow up free of taboos, accepting what she is and her blood, the world would be a different place.